Ceiling board jack



2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 16, 1953 IN VEN TOR. G E. F 1s her G. E. FSHER CEILING BOARD JACK Q Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 16. 1955 IN VEN TOR.

nited States Patent CEILING BOARD JACK Glenn E. Fisher, Hamburg, iowa Application January 16, 1953, Serial No. 331,684

3 Claims. (Cl. 304-29) This invention relates to devices and apparatus for holding ceiling board in position against the lower surfaces of joists to facilitate nailing the ceiling board to the joists, and in particular a rectangular-shaped frame supported by telescoping posts positioned at the ends and having prongs at one end adapted to be impressed into the joists for anchoring one end of the frame while the opposite end is extended downwardly to receive a ceiling board and also as the said opposite end is elevated to clamp the ceiling board in position for nailing against the joists.

The purpose of this invention is to provide means for elevating ceiling board and which is also adapted to hold the board in position for nailing which makes it possible for a single operator to elevate the panels of ceiling or wall board and, without assistance, secure the panels in position for covering the complete ceiling of a room or the like.

Various attempts have been made to provide scalfolds, jacks, and other types of apparatus for elevating ceiling board and holding the board in position for fastening the panels thereof to ioists above, however, it is very difheult, with such devices, for one operator to elevate the ceiling board, retain the board in position against the under surfaces of the joists, and nail the board in place without assistance.

With this thought in mind this invention contemplates apparatus for elevating the panels of ceiling board including a rectangular-shaped frame having end members and telescoping side members with telescoping supporting posts positioned at the ends, and with prongs for anchoring one end of the frame as a panel of ceiling board is placed on the frame and positioned against a stop at the opposite end.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a ceiling board carrying frame and means for elevating and holding the frame whereby a single operator may position panels of ceiling board and nail the panels to joists and the like without assistance.

Another object or" the invention is to provide a ceiling board elevating jack in which one end of a frame thereof is anchored in position before a panel of the ceiling board is placed thereon.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a jack for elevating ceiling board and for clamping panels of the board in position for nailing in which the jack is of comparatively light weight so that a frame of the jack with a panel of ceiling board thereon may readily be actuated by a single operator to position the panel for nailing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ceiling board elevating and holding jack in which a frame thereof is readily adjustable to ceiling board panels of different sizes.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a ceiling board jack in which the parts are collapsible so that the entirely assembly is adapted to be stored in a relatively small area, when not in use, and whereby transportation thereof is facilitated.

And a still further object is to provide an improved jack, for elevating and holding panels of ceiling board, that may readily be carried from one job to another and actuated by a single operator, in which the jack is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in View the invention embodies a rectangular-shaped frame having telescoping posts with yokes at the upper ends connected to the ends thereof, and having anchoring prongs at one end adapted to anchor the frame to ceiling joists and the like, and a stop at the opposite end for retaining a panel of ceiling board in position thereon.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the improved ceiling board jack, part of the intermediate portion of the frame thereof being broken away, showing the jack in the position of clamping a panel of ceiling board against joists in full lines, and also showing, in broken lines, one end of the frame and the supporting leg thereof in a lowered position to facilitate placing a panel of ceiling board thereon, the opposite or upper end of the frame being anchored by prongs to the joists, and a side wall or partition of a building in which the jack is located being shown in section at one end of the jack.

Figure 2 is an end elevational View looking toward the end of the jack that is adapted to be lowered for placing ceiling board on the frame of the jack.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the jack with parts of the intermediate portion thereof being broken away.

Figure 4 is a detail, on an enlarged scale, taken on 0 line 4 4 of Figure 3, illustrating the method of adjustably mounting the prongs at one end of the jack whereby one end of the frame of the jack is anchored to the ceiling joists to facilitate positioning the panels of ceiling board in relation to panels formerly secured to the joists.

Figure 5 is an end elevational view showing the yoke at the upper end of the post of the end of the jack opposite to that shown in Figure 2. s

Figure 6 is a detail showing the construction of one of the anchoring prongs, the prong being shown on an enlarged scale.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improved ceiling board jack of this invention includes a rectangularshaped frame having telescoping posts providing supporting legs at the ends with anchoring prongs iii carried by a cross bar 12 at the upper end of a telescoping section 14 of a tubular post i6 at one end of the jack, a ceiling board panel holding clip or stop i8 positioned above a telescoping section 2t) of a post 22 at the opposite end of the jack, with the frame including two U-shaped tubular members with side arms 24 and 26 of one member sliding in tubular side arms 28 and 36 of the other member, and with the members of the frame pivotally connected to the upper ends of the telescoping sections of the posts.

Each of the prongs l@ is provided with a point 32 that is adapted to be forced into a joist or panel of wood or other suitable material, and as shown in Figure 6, the prongs extend upwardly from a base 34. The base 34 is provided with a vertically disposed elongatedy slot 35 through which a bolt 33 extends, and the face 40 of the base is recessed to provide an open area 42 in which a head 44 of the bolt 3S is positioned. The bolts 33 of the prongs extend through the cross bar and wing or thumb nuts 46, threaded on the ends of the bolts adjustably clamp the prongs in position on the cross bar. By this means the positions of the prongs are set to compensate for the thickness of the ceiling or wall board. The points 32 of the prongs extend beyond the ceiling board and into the ioists which are indicated by the numoral 48. t will be understood that as many. prongsmay be used' as may be desired.,

The arms 24 and 26 of one member of the frame are connected with an end bar S and these arms are clamped in the arms 28, and 38 of the other member of the frame with thumb screws 52 and 54. The arms 28 and 3Q are connected with'an end bar 5:5,l and these arms are pivotally connected. to the cross bar 12 of the telescoping section i4 with side bars 5S, and 69, which are secured to thel arms ZS and with bolts 62 and which are provided with pins 64 and 6,5 that extend into the ends of the cross bar 1,2, as shown in Figures 3 and 5.. Thev end-s of the cross t bar'll are connected to the section 14, of the post 16 with Y-shaped elements having diverging, arms and 7G, and the cross bar is, provided with spaced apertures 72, for receivingv the bolts 3S. The apertures 72 are spaced to correspond with conventional spacing or joists or studdins The upper end of the telescoping section 2.9 of the post is, provided with a Y-shaped element or yoke having diverging arms 7biand 75 and the extended ends of the arms are provided with vertically disposed sections 7S and Si). through which openings 82 and 84 extend, as shownV in Figure 2. The openings S2 and Sd are aligned and transversely disposed ends 85 and 558 of brackets 9% and 92 are pivotally mounted therein. The sections of the ends S6 and 83 that extend through the sections 7S and d@ are provided with Cotter pins 94 and 96 which retainV the brack in position, and the opposite ends of the. brackets :e provided with pins 93 and which are secured in openings 162 and 14M of the arms 12,4, and 2 with Cotter pins 106 and 16S.v By this means the brackets are pivotally connected to the side arms o the frame, however, should it be desired to prevent pivotal movement of the brackets on the frame thumbv screws 11i) and 112 may be provide/d, the thumb screws extending through the brackets and being threaded into the arms 24 and 2.6, respectively, of the frame.

The ceiling board retaining clip. 1S, which is L-shaped in cross section, is provided with a threaded shank 114 that extends,Y through the end'bar 50 of the frame, and a spring 116 extended around the shank and positioned between the bar Sil and a nut 11S. threaded on the shank, urges the clip inwardly toward the frame whereby an up- 'wardly extended end 12,9 of the clip urges a: panel of ceiling board, as indicated by the numeral 122, against the prongs it?V at the opposite end of the frame.

TheV post 16 is provided with a thumb screw liftk for clamping the teiescop section 14, in adjusted positions therein, and the post 22 is provided with a similar screw 12:6, for clamping the telescoping section 20 in such positions that when the post is adgusted to a verticalposition a panel of ceiling board on the frame will be clamped against joists above. The lower end of the post 16 is pro- Videdfwith a cap 12S of rubber, or other friction gripping material, and a similar cap 130 is provided on the lower end'of tliepost 22.

With. the parts assembled in this manner the post 1'6 is set, so that the prongs 1d extend into the material of the joists, which are indicated by the numeral 43, whereby the prongs anchor one end of the frame, and with the prongspositioned against the tace of a wall, as shown in Figure l, or against the end of another panel, the meetingV endof a panel positioned on the frame will abut the face of theV wall, or end of the mounted panei. By this means. the end of the frame opposite to the endl anchored inpositionby the prongs may be lowered to the positionshown in dotted lines in iigure lso-that a panel ofceiling boardmayrbe conveniently placed on the frame and-witha panel on the frame, the frame maybe elevated tQ-:theposition shown in fulljlines withthe post 22 clainp.-l ing; the panel against the under surfaces ofvjoists above.'

4,-. With the parts clamped and anchored in this manner the operator is free to nail, or otherwise secure the panel to the joists without danger of the. jack accidentally moving or falling.y

This improved ceiling board jack not only makes it possible for a single operator to eiciently mount ceiling board panels, but also makes it possible for a single operator to cover the ceiling of a room or the line in a comparatively short period of time.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a ceiling board jack constructed in accordance with my inventionris particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience andl facility with which it may be assembled and operated, andJ it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as, limiting` myself to the precise. arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown carrying out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

What is claimed-is:

1'. In a ceilingvboard jaclgjthe combination which. comprisesa rectangularshapedY frame includingA opposedA U Shaped tubular members having end bars connectingtel'escoping side arms, clamping means for securing the side arms in adjusted positions, teljescoping posts with shaped'elements having diverging arms on the upper ends positioned to extend downwardly from the ends of. the frame, a cross bar integralV with and carried by the diverging arms ofy the Y-shaped eiement of the post at one, end of the frame, spaced prongsV mounted onV said cross bar and extended upwardly therefrom, siderbars extended' from the side armsV of the U-shaped tubular member adJacentV said cross bar and pivotally connected to the cross bar, brackets pivotally connected at one ofl the ends thereof to thev ends of the diverging armsot` the Y'-shaped` elementof the post at the end of the frame opposite tothe end at which the post with the cross bar on the, upper end is positioned, the opposite ends ot said' brackets being connected* to the side arms of the Ushaped tubular member at the end of the frame opposite to the end to which the cross bar is connected at points spaced inwardly from the end bar of the member, and a ceiling board retaining clip carried by and extended from the end bar of the U-shaped tubular member to which the-brackets are connected.

2. in a ceilingboard jack, the combination which coniprises a rectangular-shaped frame including opposed U- shaped tubular members having end bars connecting telescoping sideY arms, means for securing the side arms in adiusted; positions,4 telescoping posts the Y-shaped eicments having diverging arms on the upper ends4 positiorted' to. extend downwarV ly from; the ends of the frame, a cross` bar integralV with and carried by, the divcrging arms oi the, Yf-shaped element or" thepost at one end ot the frame, spacedV anchoring prongs having vertically* extended slots therein boited to the cross bar with the bolts extended through said slots, side bars extended from the sideY arms et thevU-shaped tubular member adjacent said cross bar and pivotaliy connected to the cross bar, brackets pivotally connected at one of the ends thereof to the, ends of the div/erging armsof the Y-shaped element o the post at the end of the frame opposite to the end at which the postwith the Vcross bar on the upper end is posishaped tubular members having end bars connecting telescopiug side arms, set screws in the side arms of retaining the side arms in adjusted positions, tubular posts having friction caps on their lower ends, Y-shaped elements slidably mounted in said posts and extended upwardly therefrom, set screws for retaining the Y-shaped elements in adjusted positions in the tubular posts, said Y-shaped elements having diverging arms, a cross bar integral with and extended across the diverging arms of the Y-shaped element at the fixed end of the jack, spaced anchoring prongs adjustable mounted on said cross bar, side bars connecting the cross bar to the U-shaped tubular member at the xed end of the frame, brackets pivotally connecting the side arms of the U-shaped tubular members at the opposite or movable end of the frame to the ends of the diverging arms of the Y-shaped ele* References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,701,951 Holt Feb, 12, 1929 1,725,329 Blandford Aug. 20, 1929 2,242,380 White MayV 20, 1941 2,337,796 Baker et al. Dec. 28, 1943 2,371,561 Van Patten Mar. 13, 1945 2,556,611 Borgman June 12, 1951 

